The overall developmental plan embodied in this proposal is to encourage and assist faculty in the social and behavioral sciences to initiate individual, collaborative and interdisciplinary research projects in aging. The mechanism for sparking and coordinating these developmental efforts is a recently created University Center on Aging and Health. Three pilot projects by young investigators are included in this proposal, each of which is expected to lead to later research projects: sociological study of friendship among the elderly; an anthropological investigation of the mental health effects of involuntary relocation of older single room occupancy (SRO) hotel residents; and an exploration of methods of case finding and data collecton with respect to the aged deaf by an audiologist. Techniques for expanding research include an organized information exchange group, development of centralized files of local studies for secondary analysis, a library of gerontological references and examples of instrumentation, and consultation with experienced investigators who can advise on design, funding sources and practical issues in study organization. The environment for initiating studies in aging is favorable in this research-oriented university; the diversity of its professional schools offers many opportunities for inter-disciplinary projects. Its record of research in the biological and medical aspects of aging is outstanding. The activities outlined in this proposal are viewed as the first stages in the development of a variety of social and behavioral studies to equal in these disciplines the successes already achieved in the physical and health sciences.